Ram in no rush to take big step
JACOB RAMSEY believes time is on his side as far as England is concerned – and so does Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard.
The home-grown youngster was named in Lee Carsley’s Under-21s squad this week, having been an outside bet to make Gareth Southgate’s seniors.
That now looks a stretch as the fight to make the plane to Qatar was ramped up.
But the Brummie, who scored the winner in a scrappy 1-0 victory over Southampton, believes he can make the step up. Just perhaps not yet. He said: “Last season, I went on a run with goals and there were a few shouts about the seniors.
“We haven’t started the season well, I’ve been a part of that, so my full focus has to be getting back in the form I had and pushing up the table.
“I’m still young and I’m still learning – against Manchester City I was playing as a ten and this week it was different again, I was playing as an eight. I’m still adapting.
“And getting called up to the 21s is still a big achievement.”
Gerrard went into Friday night’s game against the Saints under pressure following a slow start to the campaign.
But a hard-fought point against Manchester City and Ramsey’s winner against Saints has given Villa overdue momentum and the goalscorer a shot of confidence.
Gerrard said: “We want to build this around JJ – the important thing is we think he’s got all the attributes.
“He’s got a lot of development and growing up to do but we can build a really good team around him. I know people want to talk about the World Cup but I don’t think that’s fair on him.
“There’s no rush. He will get there.
“But he’s only just broken through, he’s only just becoming a regular.”